What's up with me...

Work and Homework... need I say more. But I am having fun with friends too--balance is key. My new goal is to get up early--no more ten hours of sleep a day--and then take a walk up the mountain to wake me up. So I will try to get just eight hours of sleep a day, because I do need at least that much. Soon and very soon I am going on that trip to Papua New Guinea about which I am very excited about. However I am even more excited about another soon thing... Soon and very soon we are going to see the King! Do any of you remember that old chorus? I miss old songs. Now most churches are doing so many new songs, the old songs get forgotten. May I be so much heavenly minded that I am oodles of wordly good! I am going to be very busy because I have not been reading two hours a day like I need to as another good friend pointed out. So six hours a day for a while might catch me up on the days I can do that, right? Well good night everyone.

Bombarded!!

Since I moved here to California, my world is being rocked. First, I learned independence. Now I am learning about the great need here. Currently I work with International Students as their friend, conversation partner, and teacher. However I want to get involved in a ministry to children again. I want to do more than teach children's church, I want to get involved in the community. I want to get involved in this city--this great mission field. However, the minute I think I know what I want to do, something else strikes me and I want to do that. BUT THE NEED IS NOT THE CALL> What am I called to? I don't know if I will even know what I am called to until I try a few things. So that is what I want to do!!! But Where do I start? I am thinking about taking a trip to the dream center--I was disappointed that my class did not do that on our outing as was originally mentioned. I see the need and I want to help. Actually there is so much that I still have not seen since being here--. I want to do some participant observation (see Spradley's book with that title) Maybe get involved with a school some how. I just have to find the right one, the right way at the right time. I know God is placing this desire in me, because He has a plan. YES He has a plan for me to get involved in a specific ministry right here in LA, and I don't think I have found it yet, although I do enjoy and want to continue my work with International Students. I know I have some skills not being used right now, not realized yet, because I haven't had the opportunity to practice them, to hone them, to develop them. It is really interesting that I am taking this intro to urban mission class the quarter before I am getting ready to go learn how to evangelize tribal peoples. Tribes and the city don't seem to go together. However tribes are rapidly being pushed out and displaced by urban life, if I understand it correctly. At least it has happened some places. Anyways I just saw a film called Twilight which I am preparing to write a reflection on. It is about the civil unrest that erupted in LA in 1992. One lady acted as each character that she had earlier interviewed, and spoke in their words their accounts of the events and their opinions. I have only just heard about it, so I was really dismayed by what I saw. As I watched it I felt bombarded with the feelings of the people involved--their anger, hurt, shame, violent reactions, and strong opinions. Anyways, I have bombarded any readers of this blog with a lot of thoughts. (THAT IS IF ANYONE READS IT). Anyways, I welcome any comments. Good night.

Cultivating prayer--and a prayer for you.

Dear friends, today I recieved an email with the prayer of St. Theresa. It gave me the idea that I could send out my own prayer along with hers in the forward. I believe prayer is very important and that it makes a difference. I am trying to cultivate a life of prayer. Sometimes I fold my hands wherever I am almost as a prayer in itself. It helps me to think of it as a prayer about the details that fill my head while I am trying to listen to lectures. Then I can let go of my worries and let the Spirit pray while I listen to the class. I even sometimes consider my doodles as prayers but I don't worry about the meaning. It feels like a way the Spirit prays through me, for He knows the mind of God. So here is a prayer for you: Dear Lord, I pray for my friends and any readers of this blog. Encourage their hearts. Create in them more hunger for you and then satisfy them Lord. Help them to know what a special and unique person they are. Help them live the life they were created for--to give glory to You. Lord whisper to them Your words of life, grace, truth, and love. Help them to hear. God You are so good, glorify Your name. AMEN. Do not forget that God loves you!!!